Legalization of Online Gaming in Hawaii Fails to Pass

The bill that would have legalized online casino games and online poker in Hawaii has failed to pass in the state legislature. Representatives Joseph Souki, Faye Hanohano and Angus McKelvey sponsored House Bill 2422, which was introduced on January 25th.

The bill would have established an online lottery and gaming corporation to manage online casino games and top online casinos in the state. The intention was for the corporation to “provide consumer protections and capture additional revenues for the benefit of the State that are currently flowing offshore to unregulated internet gambling operations.”

H.B. 2422 called for establishing the legal online casino gaming age at 18, as opposed to 21. Online casino game players would have had to play within the jurisdiction of the state, but there was language in the bill that may have allowed for citizens of other states to play in Hawaii as well.

The bill’s sponsors intended for revenue from online casino games and top online casino game sites to have been used for improvements in projects across Hawaii, including in public schools and the University of Hawaii, scholarships and educational loan repayments for medical students who practice in Hawaii for 10 years, support for the family practice rural residency program, among other projects.

The reintroduction of an online casino games bill in Hawaii was influenced by the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent clarification of the details of the Wire Act of 1961.

Two other bills were up for passage along with H.B. 2422, including House Bill 2316, which would have established a lottery commission and legalized lotteries and House Bill 2379, which would have legalized casino gambling.